Cable: All is well

Raiders coach Tom Cable was either doing his best impression of Chip Diller or has long been privy to knowledge he’s kept to himself until Thursday.

Other than a few quick comments to a reporter at the scouting combine, Cable made himself available to his first extended interview with KHTK (1140-AM) and host MIke Lamb and sounded a lot like the Kevin Bacon character in the movie “Animal House,” who told parade goers “remain calm, all is well,” as chaos ensued around them.

For the record, the Raiders continue to insist the Cable’s situation is being evaluated.

A transcription of the KHTK interview:

Q: What do you think of Idaho (guard) Mike Iupati? Seen him?

Cable: Oh, yeah. Good player. Really, he’s got a lot of skill, he’s got a lot of size and he’s got the right combination to be, hopefully, very successful in the NFL.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish at the Senior Bowl?

Cable: Well, you’re really looking at these kids and trying to familiarize yourself with them as you prepare for the next step, which will be the combine. So, you get a chance to look at, basically, 70-some players, you get a chance to go back now and look at all the juniors that are coming out and just kind of start comparing this whole thing and then it gets you ready for the combine. Because that group that was here in Mobile, they’ll be at the combine, as well as all those juniors that came out. So, it gives you a great opportunity to kind of get a jump on it and familiarize yourself with the whole group.

Q: Does the Senior Bowl or scouting combine mean more to you?

Cable: Seeing them work as a football player practicing the game, how they take to the drills, how they learn, seeing how well they can pick things up and then go out and execute because that’s important at our level. You have to be able to do it, really, from Day 1 to a certain extent. So, that gives you an advantage that way. Certainly, you get a chance to really study them and talk to them and interview them at the combine and see them run and do some athletic things.

Q: What do you make of the Tom Cable Watch the past three weeks or so? Have you spoken with Davis and what have you learned?

Cable: Well, we’ve had a lot of conversations. You’re right, there’s been a lot of speculation. But the whole time, we’ve talked about where we’re at as a football team. And that’s everything. That’s the organization, that’s the coaches, that’s the roster, our free agents, who we need to get signed back, just everything that goes into it. We really never have had discussions about what would or wouldn’t happen. It’s just always been about evaluating the Oakland Raiders. I don’t know that at anytime he’s ever said he was going to change or he wasn’t going to change. It’s just an evaluation process that every team goes through. We did great diligence in terms of an organization, the coaches, and here we are getting ready for the 2010 season and starting the scouting routine with the Senior Bowl.

Q: So, do you expect to be the coach of the Raiders for 2010?

Cable: Well, absolutely. I don’t think there was ever any question. That, really, was more speculation than anything else. It’s never been a thought in my mind. We went at this thing every day, whether it was discussions with the owner or discussions with the staff, that we were moving forward and getting ready for 2010. So, it’s never really been an issue for us.

Q: What did you like and dislike about last season’s team?

Cable: Well, there’s a couple of things. The first thing that we learned about this team, or what we’ve become is very competitive. We’re at that stage now, where it’s time to take the next step, and the next step is becoming a playoff team. It will be the hardest step but it’s the next one for this group. That has to be our goal, and our purpose for 2010, is to be a playoff team. Anything less than that isn’t good enough. That’s just how I feel about it. What we’ve learned about our team is, we’ve got a couple of issues. One, we got to score more points on offense. That’s number one. And number two, we’ve had a big issue in terms of the big play defensively, giving it up. Those are two areas that just jump out at you as things we have to do much, much better in 2010 to be a playoff team. And, then the third thing, probably that was most significant, is finding a return game on our special teams.

Q: How big a part of your job is getting Russell to be better?

Cable: He’s just one man on this football team. He knows he’s got to get better. We know we’ve got to get him better. But everyone on this team, coaching staff, players alike, has to get better, and that starts with me. So, obviously, people want to single someone out or whatever that is but right now, it’s about all of us getting better.

Q: It’s a quarterback driven league, how much is execution and how much is leadership?

Cable: I don’t think there’s any question about that. You look at the two teams in the Super Bowl, they both have outstanding quarterbacks, both guys bring leadership to the talble, but leadership to me, comes form all areas, I think you’ve got to have someone like that at every position, so I don’t know that it’s necessarily just the quarterback, it’s everybody involved.

Q: What is Hue Jackson’s role, to get the most of out JaMarcus Russell?

Cable: I think that’s just part of of it. I think the biggest goal for Hue is to get our offense to be more of a scoring threat, with some consistency, and that’s the reason he’s here, and I‘m excited about it. I think it’s something as an organization that we needed to do. I think it will help me as a head coach, to be able to handle some other things, and put more attention to other things.

Q: Was it your decision to bring him in, or one made by the organization?

Cable: I think it was everyone involved, because it’s important that we improve, and when you look at where we need to improve I need to do a better job at
managing this team and looking at all areas and not be so focused in one area like I was and I think it will help us a great deal.

Q: As you called the plays and ran the offense, did you find yourself saying it was more than one person could handle?

Cable: To some degree I did. I think I felt some of that during the season. You know, the second half of the season, we scored doubled our point output in over 100 yards a game in offense, so there was improvement there, but again it gets back to scoring points and I think some freshness, won’t change the system per
se, but try to try and add and make it better.

Q: What are your needs as you look at the Senior Bowl and get ready for the NFL draft?

Cable: Well, we have some things, that I probably won’t talk about right now, let’s keep looking at this, as I said, we’ll look at Moble here, we’ll look at
the group of juniors that are coming out, and see if the players are going to be there for us in terms for our needs and really dial in to those needs.

Q: Did you find it getting easier after first game and did you get some gratification seeing the growth of the team?

Cable: It’s made it more exciting. I don’t know that it’s ever an easy job, but it’s made it more exciting. In our last meeting after the Baltimore game, we talked about what’s in front of us, and the next step would be the most difficult one. That’s going from being a competitive team to the one that wins the games that it’s supposed to and you find a way to win some people don’t think you should, and that’s a playoff team, and that’s the next step, and as I said earlier, that’s our goal, period. I don’t think it’s changing the attitude. I think that’s done. I think, becoming competitive, I think that’s done, and now it’s kind of returning a position to where you can get in the tournament.

Q: When you took the job over if you were 100 percent away from your goal, how much closer are you now, 10 pct, 20 pct?

Cable: I think we’re halfway there, but as I mentioned, but the next half, or the next step is going to be the biggest one, and it’s also going to be the toughest one, and we’re ready for it now, and that’s why I’m excited and ready to do this now and so it will be up to us to see it through and be one of those teams next year.

Q: Sound like conversations went well and you’re going to continue on as coach of the Raiders?

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If you we switched D-lines with the Ravens, they would still be a top D, and we would still give up huge plays because our LB’s stink.

Norco Bob

I have a med card, got mine from Dr Turnipseed in Antelope,…thats his real name,..150 cash gets the card,..he wont even ask you why you need it.

http://www.raiderfans.net Richochet

ilver-n-Smac Says:
January 26th, 2010 at 4:05 pm

REPOST for Rachocrap:

O.K. Dumbass. . . (a.k.a. Richocrap). . . .

You asked someone else to name you 5 things Cable does well:

1. Cable is blunt with his players.

RICHOCHET: Blunt? LMAO..YOU IDIOT..Russell STILL THOUGHT HE WAS DOING JUST FINE up until he got benched. Cable is a marshmallow.

################
If you suck, he tells you suck.

RICHOCHET: BULL. The man has NEVER GOTTEN IN A PLAYERS FACE..not once. quit with the idiot takes. You know they’re not going to wash. Bey? HE SUCKED..and what did Cable say? all PROPS TO THE GUY. Go look across the bay at Singletary. When a player sucked, he let HIM KNOW, in full view..and when the player turned it around? made a good play? THERE WAS SINGLETARY, first one to greet him coming off the field.
Cable? THE MAN HAS NEVER SAID A WORD TO A PLAYER, PERIOD. Kwame Harris? Guy played up through game 12..before AL BENCHED HIM, moron..Russell? OUT OF ALL OF HIS SCREWUPS? Cable never ONCE APPROACHED HIM COMING OFF THE FIELD. #################
When Michael Huff sucked last year, Cable benched him.

RICHOCHET; lmao..YOU IDIOT. Cable didn’t do squat..AL BENCHED HIM, .
Besides, Huff had a couple of good plays this year..THAT’S IT. He still is marginal.
####################
Cable let the $30 million dollar QB have ample opportunity to prove himself (which he never did). And then he pulled the plug on him. Whether or not this was done with the owner’s consent is irrelevant.

RICHOCHET: In other words, you really are a moron. Russell should have been on the bench after 4 weeks, FOOL. Not after the season was officially over. Russell should have been told TO GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER, except the ‘HEAD COACH’ never said a word..EVER..to JR. All Cable said was “Russell needs to do those extras to be better, to be a leader”..to THE PRESS..not to JR. Again, JR kept repeating “I’M JUST FINE. NOT ON ME.” A head coach should have DEMANDED RUSSELL PUT IN EXTRA TIME RUNNING OFF THAT FLAB..but Cable? He ALLOWED RUSSELL TO WALK DURING PRACTICES, while everyone else ran.
yEAH, YOU DUMBASS…RUSSELL WALKED, AND CABLE SAID NOTHING.
LMAO that you view someone FINALLY, after two months of fans and reporters booing the qb, benches the guy as doing a good job as HC. Hell, by then he was on “OH OH..at this rate, going to get fired”

#####################
The point is that he has more clout with the owner than any Raider coach since Gruden. And Jerry has pointed this out to your pee-sized brain on numerous occasions. There are numerous examples of this and I’m not gonna waste another paragraph citing examples for you.

RICHOCHET: In other words, YOU LIE. Cable has ZERO CLOUT, you idiot. You stating “not going to waste a paragraph citing ex: means YOU LIE, lol. Cable has CLOUT? With Al DAVIS? Al Davis knew NOTHING ABOUT CABLE WHEN HE WAS PROMOTED, idiot.
Jerry not only has no idea when Al meets anyone, he certainly hasn’t posted that he KNEW ABOUT ANY DISCUSSION THEY EVER HAD.
Discussions are one way. Al talks. Cable listens. You won’t EVER FIND ANYTHING THAT SAID IT WAS THE OTHER WAY AROUND..but hey..considering YOU stated it..prove it.

well? Don’t be a coward..back up your words..show me the links from Jerry that says Cable has clout with anything except clouting employees and women?

Norco Bob

Lol,..why buy from the streets when the pot is better in the shops,..way better, extreme selection too, hash too,..they even take credit cards,..awesome,..you buy from the streets dude, I dont have to anymore.

http://www.raiderfans.net Richochet

AND HERE’S YOUR IDIOT TAKE ABOUT HOW CABLE IS A GOOD COACH BECAUSE “HE WANTS TO BE HERE” (amazing you can’t even remember what YOU posted, lol)

O FER ONE on your first point, Silver n Stupid.

Silver-n-Smac Says:
January 26th, 2010 at 4:05 pm

2. Cable wants to be a Raider. He respects what the Raiders are all about and is fully aware of the wacky ways of the owner. You can minimize this all you want, but, frankly – it’s a big deal. If you don’t acknowledge that, you’re an idiot. (of course, this is no news to anyone)

RICHOCHET: Question was WHAT HAS CABLE DONE THAT SHOWS HE’S A GOOD COACH?

And that’s one of your five? ROFLMFAO..that he “wants to be a Raider”? Well, SO DID JOE BUGEL..fool.
And look at your idiot take..”it’s a big deal that he knows the owner is wacky”????
Are you FREAKING SERIOUS?

to YOU that’s a sign of a good coach?

YOUR O FOR 2, MENTAL MIDGET.

raideredoutL.A.

so you have to go to the pro bowl to be an effective NT, please. just listen to ray what he thinks of having ngata around.

http://atm Raider O

Legalize it, tax it, and cut spending on petty crimes!

http://www.raiderfans.net Richochet

I’ll save the other 3 for another time.
don’t want to overwhelm ya, Silver n Stupid.

I think you know how I feel about Cable’s claim that we were competitive…competitive teams don’t win one and then lay an egg the next week every time. Competitive teams don’t set records for biggest regular season losses in franchise history.

My buddies came out for a softball tournament a month ago and they brought me some cookies and hash oil from some club in Oakland.

Had two cookies and I was in a weed coma.

Norco Bob

Theres always a dude with a gun at door checking cards to get in,…I grow grass in Arcata,..not legally but do anyway,..I wont grow where I live because if a punk jumps in backyard to steal plants I will shoot to kill, and dont want that hassle.

vegas raider Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 10:22 am
I didn’t say Ngata isn’t good, but the Pro Bowl is voted by NFL players, and his colleagues say he is not one of the best 2-3 in the AFC, every year.

That’s all I’m saying. Ray Lewis would make much more of an impact if he came to the Raiders than Ngata would.
++++++++++++++++++++

Ngata is the reason Ray Lewis is still playing at a high level. In the four years prior to the Ravens getting Ngata, Lewis had a total of 3.5 sacks. In Ngata’s first season, Lewis had 5 sacks and has had 13.5 sacks in the seasons he has played with Ngata. A great NT makes a MLB look good…just as a great QB makes a WR look good.

YoungAmerican

YoungAmerican Says:
January 29th, 2010 at 9:17 am

… and let Kelly, Warren, and Desmond Bryant (with occasional cameos by Seymour) fight it out on the inside.

So You want to shoot our brothers from the south, that come here and do jobs most people here don’t want to do, they do it for cheap, and they don’t demand much.
They do that to support families, and some pay taxes on that income, and They spend that money here.

That seems like a pretty legit line to me (with the addition of a solid ML behind them)

Tom cables pimp hand

hey you guys im playing fantasy bball right now and Im pondering about this trade its a good deal but I wat to get a few opinions from others before I make a decision. Im getting my a al on right now. Would you trade lebron for chris paul stephen jackson and corey magette??

GaterRaider

WHAT UP SILVER AND BLACK!

Richard Bentley

Boy, it’s a good thing I read the posts on this blog; everybody knows everything about this football team, without ever meeting or knowing them. Thanks, guys, for being so smart. Funny thing, though, why do all of you have so many different answers to things?

Frank YoooooooLLL

Q: What did you like and dislike about last season’s team?

Cable: Well, there’s a couple of things. The first thing that we learned about this team, or what we’ve become is very competitive. We’re at that stage now, where it’s time to take the next step, and the next step is becoming a playoff team.
…………………………………….

Next step is the playoffs? How about winning two in a row?!!!!

racerx2481

“… as chaos ensues around them…”

Ha! Does Jerry realize that the chaos was caused by his peers and himself… a bunch of beat writers making stuff up because they are so far out of the loop?

I’m not mad at ya J, you gotta write something to get paid.

And Wcraider is right, Al is a master at manipulating the media, now if someone could tell him its not 1976…